[GS] Tier-2 Government Buffs: Royal Marriages, Trade Disputes and Holy Wars

[ZeoLite357]

The Tier-2 governments of Monarchy, Merchant Republic and Theocracy have interesting minor bonuses and legacy bonuses, but this should go further to define the era.

I suggest giving each Tier-2 government a one-time exciting buff or special CB which is really unique and quite powerful if the stars align in circumstance.

Monarchy

Context: The concept of making peace with your enemy by forming a royal marriage was essential diplomacy in medieval and renaissance Europe and beyond. Current Monarchy benefits are Wall production and a lot of military cards, so we want to balance that with a large potential diplomatic bonus.

Bonus: Provides a one-time Royal Marriage with another civilization (through the Discuss diplomacy). This can only be with another civilization that you have previously been at war with or have denounced. You must be at peace with the civilization. Royal Marriages confer a +75* opinion modifier to the chosen civilization whilst you are a Monarchy and until the end of the era.

Effect: This enables you to essentially ‘force an Alliance’ on a potential troublemaker neighbour, making them an ally. This is great if you have an aggressive neighbour, or failed to fulfil some of their early annoying agendas.

Merchant Republic

Context: Merchant Republics were often small city-states with huge wealth and quite large navies and trading fleets. We feel like the gold-related bonuses for MRs are good, but how about a buff to navies? Here we aim to balance the large economic benefits with a military one.

Bonus: Provides a Trade Dispute CB, in which Grievances generated are -50%*, this CB does not allow military land units to enter foreign territory nor attack cities, but does allow naval units to enter foreign territory, pillage tiles, pillage traders, and attack disembarked or enemy naval units. Cities cannot be targeted or attacked. War length is fixed and only lasts for 5* turns and a white peace is automatically signed after the number of turns.

Effect: This bonus would give MRs a great way to exploit navies to get good pillages, against civilizations who haven’t prioritized navy but still have coastal cities, for lots of gold and the preventing of land units in the CB makes navy more viable.

Theocracy

Context: Theocracies are Gods heavenly rule on earth, with large emphases on Faith bonuses and securing a religious victory. Their bonuses are already very good, but maybe with a slightly tweaked CB they could be even better.

Bonus: The Holy War CB allows you to declare war on a power that has religiously converted one of your cities. With Theocracy government, this CB also allows you go on the offensive and declare war on any power that has a majority of cities converted to another Religion from your own, assuming they also own a city within 5 tiles from one of your cities, without prior denunciation. Only applies in the Renaissance Era.

Effect: Often in games the AI may not have converted one of my cities, and so in general many of the CBs are ineffective. This added bonus with the Theocracy government really gives it a domination bonus within a timeframe to maximise its land unit purchase by Faith bonus.

* Subject to game balancing

Thoughts?

 

[AlexandriaWolf]

My husband and I play Civ quite often and we were just talking about how great it would be if dynastic marriages were an option! I like the idea of them being a way to cement peace with a nation you've been at war with. However, they could also be a way to create a powerful alliance with a nation you are friends with as well. Rather than an opinion modifier in this case we could just call a large chunk of gold a dowry. Marriages of both sorts should convert the nation that has been proposed to, to the proposer's religion as well automatically.

 

[HiRezAudio]

I like the above idea very much indeed Alexandria.
The whole diplomatic game is sadly lacking in my mind and could do with a serious update.

 

[Galvatron]

My husband and I play Civ quite often and we were just talking about how great it would be if dynastic marriages were an option! I like the idea of them being a way to cement peace with a nation you've been at war with. However, they could also be a way to create a powerful alliance with a nation you are friends with as well.

My first thought is something involving loyalty pressure actually. Like you intermarry with them, which is represented by cities flipping to you.

But if you break yo she gets half your cities. And custody of the vassals.

 

[HiRezAudio]

My first thought is something involving loyalty pressure actually. Like you intermarry with them, which is represented by cities flipping to you.

But if you break yo she gets half your cities. And custody of the vassals.

We need vassalage to become a thing though before this can happen

 

[AlexandriaWolf]

I like the above idea very much indeed Alexandria.
The whole diplomatic game is sadly lacking in my mind and could do with a serious update.

I agree! I was thinking that my above idea regarding marriages and religion was powerful enough that you should only be able to use it once. But then I've thought some more...

Some condition must be met before you are awarded an heir. This could be X number of cities with X number of population. You then receive a marriageable heir/heiress. This will be your most powerful "child" and can only be used once. You must "propose" to the leader of your choice. The leader being proposed to can demand a "dowry" just like they can make any kind of deal, asking for gold and/or resources you have. If you agree and the marriage is celebrated the nation you have married with...
1. Mass converts to your religion.
2. Awards Era score.
3. Awards a variable amount of either Culture or Science and Gold to your Civ for 30 turns.
4. You become automatic military allies and the nation you have married into will automatically go to war with anyone you declare war on. They will also make peace when you do.
5. You are awarded a trade route that provides gold and either Culture or Science.

If a Civ proposes to YOU (you may also demand a dowry)...
1. Your Civ converts to their religion.
2. You are awarded Era score.
3. Awards a variable amount of either Culture or Science and Gold to your Civ for 15 turns.
4. You become automatic military allies with the nation you have married into and YOU will automatically go to war with anyone THEY declare war on. You will also make peace when they do.
5. No trade route award.

When the next set of conditions are met you may be awarded a second prince/princess. You will not be awarded a second prince/princess unless your first one is already married. The marriage conditions for this lesser heir are:
1. No religious conversion but the Civ being married into will no longer send missionaries to try to convert YOUR Civ. YOU, however, may continue to send missionaries to THEIR Civ.
2. You are awarded Era score.
3. Awards a variable amount of either Culture or Science and Gold to your Civ for 10 turns.
4. No military alliance but you may ASK the Civ you have married into to join in a war if you choose. They may refuse.
5. You are awarded a trade route that provides gold and either Culture or Science.

If a Civ proposes to YOU (you may also demand a dowry)...
1. No religious conversion but the usual ability to send missionaries for both parties remains unchanged, with each being able to send missionaries to the other's Civ.
2. You are awarded Era score.
3. Awards a variable amount of either Culture or Science and Gold to your Civ for 5 turns.
4. No military alliance but they may ask YOU to join them in declaring war. You may refuse. However, if you agree, you will be awarded 5 random military units and a random amount of gold. You will automatically make peace when they do.
5. No trade route award.

When the next set of conditions are met you may be awarded a third and final prince/princess. You will not be awarded a third prince/princess unless your first and second ones are already married. The marriage conditions for this lesser heir are:
1. Awards a large amount of gold.
2. You are awarded a trade route that provides gold and either Culture or Science.

 

[HiRezAudio]

I like this idea very much indeed - could add whole new levels into the diplomatic game which is currently somewhat lacklustre to me.